Geotextile containers, also known as geocontainers, e.g., TenCate Geosynthetics North America's Geotube®, are employed to protect shorelines, rebuild beaches, and reclaim land from bodies of water. Typically, geocontainers are filled with sand or other soil and are placed above or within the soil of the land being protected. However, such containers are subject to damage from debris that is carried by these bodies of water.
Often damage to the geocontainers occurs from inclement weather conditions, such as storms which generate heavy wind and/or seas. Damage also occurs from vandalism, boat propellers, and a number of other situations. When the integrity of the geocontainer is compromised or damaged, the geocontainer loses its ability to provide protection from erosion and other property damage. Once an installed geotextile container is punctured, the sand reinforcing the geotextile container flows out, thereby compromising its performance. Moreover, as waves hit the geotextile container, more and more sand escapes, and the geotextile container's height decreases. As a result, soil erosion potential to the shoreline increases. Accordingly, there is a need to protect geocontainers from damage by debris, vandalism, propellers, or any situation in which the integrity of the geocontainer could be compromised. It is to that end that the instant invention is directed.